Low FODMAP Whole Roast Fish
You might be surprised to see how easy it is to make our Low FODMAP Whole Roast Fish – and the presentation is spectacular!
Why Roast a Whole Fish?
There are so many reasons why we love roasting fish whole.
- It’s easy (as you will see below)
- The whole fish looks simply spectacular when presented
- The bones add tons of flavor
- You will impress everyone (including yourself)
Well, maybe that last reason isn’t a good one, but it is true!
Choose Your Whole Fish
Our approach can work for many types of fish from small trout, served 1 per person, to fish that weigh in the 2-pound range to even double that. You can roast even larger fish, but this recipe’s approach is best for smaller specimens.
Look for clear eyes that are not sunken, pinkish/reddish, moist gills, a shiny (not dry or slimy) overall appearance and the smell should be fresh like the ocean, not fishy.
Tell the person behind the fish counter that you plan on roasting a whole fish and that you would like it to be scaled and gutted. Some folks like to have the fins removed; that’s your choice. You can have side and top fins removed and leave the tail…
How To Serve A Whole Roast Fish
Once you have roasted this beauty, and bring it to the table, how do you serve it? This part might look daunting, but it is easy and we will take you through it step-by-step.
- Gently scrape back the skin on the top of the fish using the blunt edge of a knife or a spoon and discard. (My dogs LOVE the skin).
- Carefully lift the flesh up off of spine, which is bisecting the upper and lower parts of the flesh.
- Once the spine is exposed, simply lift away and discard, or save for stock.
- Now you have access to the bottom half of the fish’s flesh, which you want to gently lift off and away from the skin, which is on the bottom.
If you are a fish lover, be sure to also check out our roasted Bluefish & Potatoes.
Low FODMAP Whole Roast Fish
Our Low FODMAP Whole Roast Fish is super easy to make - and versatile. Our recipe shows you what you need to know.
Ingredients:
- 1, 2 to 2 ½- pounds (910 g to 1.2 kg) whole fish, cleaned and scaled, such as red snapper, sea bass or branzino
- 3 tablespoons Garlic-Infused Oil, made with olive oil, or purchased equivalent
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup (8 g) chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- ¼ cup (8 g) chopped fresh herb of your choice, such as basil, dill, marjoram, oregano, rosemary or thyme
- ¼ cup (16 g) chopped scallions, green parts only
- 1 lemon thinly sliced crosswise
Preparation:
-
Position rack in upper third of oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Have ready a large rimmed roasted pan or baking sheet that is large enough to hold your fish. Let the fish stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes, while oven preheats.
-
Place fish on pan and make 3 crosswise slashes, all the way down to the bone, on each side of the fish. Rub the entire fish, inside and out, with Garlic-Infused oil (I like to use a pastry brush) and season with salt and pepper. Toss the fresh herbs and the scallions together.
-
Press a lemon slice and some of the herb mixture into each slice, stuffing the fish cavity with any remaining lemon and herbs. Roast for about 20 minutes or until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily. Watch for small bones when eating.
Notes:
Tips
- You can make this even simpler buy keeping herbs whole, on the stem and just stuffing them inside the fish body, as you can see in the image below.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
